Introduction
You may have come across a popular game called Wingspan, which gained recognition in the gaming community and eventually sold over a million copies in retail. This success was not just due to its entertaining gameplay, but also its engaging theme centered around managing a bird sanctuary. However, there were some criticisms regarding its repetitive nature, leading to the creation of a more intricate re-skin known as Wyrmspan. In this version, players take on the role of powerful dragon wranglers in a fantasy setting.
What’s in the Box
The original Wingspan game was known for its high production values, which significantly contributed to its broad appeal. While Wyrmspan may not be as visually stunning, it still lives up to expectations. It includes multicolored, speckled resin eggs like its predecessor, various punch-out cardboard resource tokens, and convenient plastic storage boxes. The coins are crafted from cardboard but have a silver finish, adding a nice touch to the components.
Each player receives wooden cubes, an adventurer piece in their chosen color, and one of five boards to track their collection of dragons. The game also features three shared boards: one for tracking rounds and bonuses, another for a dragon guild with bonus tiles, and the last one for organizing dragon and cave decks.
Rules and How It Plays
If you’re familiar with Wingspan, grasping the mechanics of Wyrmspan should come relatively easy. However, there are notable differences. Players begin each round with six coins, and each action costs a coin to execute. The three actions in the game—excavate, entice, and explore—each have their costs and benefits, adding strategic depth to gameplay.
Excavate allows players to play cave cards into dragon habitats, providing bonuses and opportunities to expand their collection of dragons. Entice enables players to bring dragons into empty caves, requiring resources and coins. Explore is a more complex action that involves sending an adventurer meeple into inhabited caves for various rewards based on habitat and dragon presence.
One of the game’s key features is the dragon guild board, where players can earn moves and bonuses, creating strategic decision-making opportunities for long-term success. The game mechanics also include changes from its predecessor, such as the removal of random food rolls and the introduction of a coin-based resource system.